Primary forming method handbuilding and altered slab construction
Primary firing temperature mid-range cone 5
Favorite surface treatment terra sigillata with a mixture of sgraffito and mishima
Favorite tools banding wheel
Studio playlist I listen to audiobooks and podcasts. I also enjoy relaxing instrumental music to get my mind and body in the creative flow.
Studio
My studio is located in a historic cottage in the heart of German Village in downtown Columbus, Ohio. This is my ideal location to embrace my love for tiny, slow living while having access to the amenities found in a city. It has always been important to me to be able to create work whether in a fully equipped studio or when using a simple folding table in front of the couch. Over the years, my approach has always been low-tech, and easily moved around as needed, exploring studio life all over the city in various apartments, buildings, and houses. As the world fundamentally changed over the last few years, I chose to downsize and be super intentional about how I spend my time and energy. To make work, I need materials, some tables, a banding wheel, and an open heart; everything else is gravy! The overall footprint of my current work space is tiny, about 200 square-feet, which is quite small compared to many other studios. One of the main benefits of working in a pint-size studio is that it challenges me to be smart and conscious about my space. I am currently firing my work at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) (where I now work and was formerly an undergraduate student) due to the less-than-ideal electrical capabilities of my current studio in a historical building.
Space is limited in the cottage, so accessing the main work tables from both sides is very important and has been effective. My workflow follows a block S-shaped layout, starting at the slab roller, following the main tables, and then moving over to the decorating table on the far wall. This formation helps me complete work efficiently and enables me to handle the greenware less often. Since I also live in the cottage in the lofted portion, it’s imperative that I maintain the cleanest space possible for both the health of Greta the studio cat and myself. The two best ways I have found to do this are to clean as I go and to having nightly studio closing duties. Some examples of closing duties are wiping down all work surfaces, cleaning all tools and returning them to peg boards, putting all in-progress work into damp bins, doing a quick sweep/mop of the space, and lastly setting myself up for success by writing a “TO DO” Post-It note, so I can dive right back in during my next studio session.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
My first exposure to clay was at a fairly young age at the Rosewood Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio. On a whim, my dear middle school friend talked me into signing up for a weekly wheel-throwing class with her. I fell head over heels and loved every minute of that class, along with the newfound endless possibilities that clay presented. I continued to play with clay throughout the next few years, all the way through high school. At the time, I had no idea it was even possible to have a career in ceramics, so I opted to attend CCAD in nearby Columbus, Ohio, to pursue fashion design. Somehow fate brought me once again to the ceramics lab, and I quickly realized there is nothing in the world like creating things out of dirt! After promptly changing my major and spending all of my free time in the ceramics lab, I earned my BFA in fine arts. While at CCAD, I had the pleasure of learning from some great ceramic artists and mentors who profoundly shaped my voice in clay: Kaname Takada, Bill Hunt, Kelly Malec-Kosak, and Casey Bradley.
Over the last decade, I have worn a bunch of hats and worked in various service-industry jobs to fuel my creative practice. In 2018, I was lucky enough to land a gig in the ceramics department at CCAD as their lab tech. It’s been a wonderful experience; I am constantly learning new things, connecting with students, and using creative problem solving to achieve a better overall flow in the lab. The most impactful thing I have learned in my role as a lab tech that has helped me to create smarter studio practices is managing my time, space, and energy. One example includes making class-sized batches for all of my terra sigillata colors and glazes to have on hand as needed, enabling me to stay in the creative flow without being pulled away to restock. Another example would be planning out each day of the week ahead of time, with room to toggle between high-energy tasks such as constructing pieces to lower-energy tasks like loading or unloading electric kilns.
While balancing my studio work with my responsibilities at CCAD, I tend to keep a pretty consistent work schedule of about 15–20 hours a week in my studio. This fluctuates seasonally in the summer and fall/winter months when fairs and festivals are at their peak. Overall, my goal is to maintain a work/life balance. With that said, I do clock a lot more hours in the studio during peak show seasons. During that time, I spend about double the hours (30–40) each week making work, firing that one last kiln, and packing/getting work ready to sell at each event. I am in the process of recalibrating back to the ebb and flow of preparing for in-person events coupled with my role at CCAD.
Marketing
The majority of my work is sold at in-person shows by way of fairs and festivals. I love being able to directly connect with potential buyers and talk shop with other makers. There is so much innovation in the wild world of ceramics, and it’s always a treat to connect with other artists who are out there doing their thing. That type of energy is infectious, and I love every minute of it.
On average, I participate in about 20 in-person fairs or festivals a year, with June, November, and December being my most active months. I have been fortunate enough to cultivate a following throughout Ohio and the surrounding states. Additional traveling and festival adventures are in the five-year plan; I am currently enjoying the steady intentional growth close to home.
My online sales are via my shop page on my website. Each year, the online sales get better and better. I really enjoy utilizing Instagram to promote my work and showcase my behind-the-scenes processes in the studio. I have really enjoyed the process of putting my work out into the world via social media. For me, Instagram is a great place to showcase what I am working on and to create a wider community of other clay enthusiasts. However, I do pay attention to the analytics and stats, monitoring what posts and products generate the most engagement and wielding that information to plan accordingly. Utilizing this type of platform has expanded my overall audience significantly, and also has enabled me to cultivate a better understanding of the handmade market. On average, I spend about 5 hours a week planning content for my social-media platforms, equally focusing on promoting and selling work online.
I have participated in a handful of juried and invitational shows throughout the years. I currently do not have any gallery representation, but obtaining that is a goal of mine for 2022.
Mind
As a mostly full-time artist, I find I am at my peak creatively when all aspects of my life are in balance and harmonizing with each other. Taking a daily walk or two is super important to me, as well as maintaining a daily yoga practice. Other ways that I recharge my creative batteries include dancing, going on outdoor adventures, and working in my garden. These activities allow me to spend time making, thinking, or dreaming outside of the realm of ceramics. Thus, I am able to show up fully in my studio practice.
My work is inspired by my interest in the small snippets of beauty found in everyday life. I find that handmade pottery of a joyous nature elegantly reflects daily rituals. My handmade pottery is inspired by vintage fabric, mid-century dishes, and the playfulness of street art. The surfaces are reminiscent of geometric and organic patterns in nature. By incorporating bouncing lines, low relief, and vibrant hues, and contrasting those elements with volumetric forms, I create evocative, distinctive, and visually upbeat vessels. This innovative approach to a traditional process and materials mirrors the current, cultural narrative that surrounds the joys of cultivating personal rituals of love and self care in day-to-day life. The collection of work that I am currently making seeks to romanticize the simple, yet impactful, visual modalities associated with remaining in the present moment.
Most Valuable Lesson
The most valuable lesson I have learned as a working artist is that the path is never linear and straightforward. The true enjoyment of being a creative human comes from beautiful experiences, failures, and friendships cultivated along the way that fill in odd cracks and spaces. There is magic in the process of building the mosaic that is my life, and I am always grateful.
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Just the Facts
Clay
red stoneware
Primary forming method
handbuilding and altered slab construction
Primary firing temperature
mid-range cone 5
Favorite surface treatment
terra sigillata with a mixture of sgraffito and mishima
Favorite tools
banding wheel
Studio playlist
I listen to audiobooks and podcasts. I also enjoy relaxing instrumental music to get my mind and body in the creative flow.
Studio
My studio is located in a historic cottage in the heart of German Village in downtown Columbus, Ohio. This is my ideal location to embrace my love for tiny, slow living while having access to the amenities found in a city. It has always been important to me to be able to create work whether in a fully equipped studio or when using a simple folding table in front of the couch. Over the years, my approach has always been low-tech, and easily moved around as needed, exploring studio life all over the city in various apartments, buildings, and houses. As the world fundamentally changed over the last few years, I chose to downsize and be super intentional about how I spend my time and energy. To make work, I need materials, some tables, a banding wheel, and an open heart; everything else is gravy! The overall footprint of my current work space is tiny, about 200 square-feet, which is quite small compared to many other studios. One of the main benefits of working in a pint-size studio is that it challenges me to be smart and conscious about my space. I am currently firing my work at Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD) (where I now work and was formerly an undergraduate student) due to the less-than-ideal electrical capabilities of my current studio in a historical building.
Space is limited in the cottage, so accessing the main work tables from both sides is very important and has been effective. My workflow follows a block S-shaped layout, starting at the slab roller, following the main tables, and then moving over to the decorating table on the far wall. This formation helps me complete work efficiently and enables me to handle the greenware less often. Since I also live in the cottage in the lofted portion, it’s imperative that I maintain the cleanest space possible for both the health of Greta the studio cat and myself. The two best ways I have found to do this are to clean as I go and to having nightly studio closing duties. Some examples of closing duties are wiping down all work surfaces, cleaning all tools and returning them to peg boards, putting all in-progress work into damp bins, doing a quick sweep/mop of the space, and lastly setting myself up for success by writing a “TO DO” Post-It note, so I can dive right back in during my next studio session.
Paying Dues (and Bills)
My first exposure to clay was at a fairly young age at the Rosewood Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio. On a whim, my dear middle school friend talked me into signing up for a weekly wheel-throwing class with her. I fell head over heels and loved every minute of that class, along with the newfound endless possibilities that clay presented. I continued to play with clay throughout the next few years, all the way through high school. At the time, I had no idea it was even possible to have a career in ceramics, so I opted to attend CCAD in nearby Columbus, Ohio, to pursue fashion design. Somehow fate brought me once again to the ceramics lab, and I quickly realized there is nothing in the world like creating things out of dirt! After promptly changing my major and spending all of my free time in the ceramics lab, I earned my BFA in fine arts. While at CCAD, I had the pleasure of learning from some great ceramic artists and mentors who profoundly shaped my voice in clay: Kaname Takada, Bill Hunt, Kelly Malec-Kosak, and Casey Bradley.
Over the last decade, I have worn a bunch of hats and worked in various service-industry jobs to fuel my creative practice. In 2018, I was lucky enough to land a gig in the ceramics department at CCAD as their lab tech. It’s been a wonderful experience; I am constantly learning new things, connecting with students, and using creative problem solving to achieve a better overall flow in the lab. The most impactful thing I have learned in my role as a lab tech that has helped me to create smarter studio practices is managing my time, space, and energy. One example includes making class-sized batches for all of my terra sigillata colors and glazes to have on hand as needed, enabling me to stay in the creative flow without being pulled away to restock. Another example would be planning out each day of the week ahead of time, with room to toggle between high-energy tasks such as constructing pieces to lower-energy tasks like loading or unloading electric kilns.
While balancing my studio work with my responsibilities at CCAD, I tend to keep a pretty consistent work schedule of about 15–20 hours a week in my studio. This fluctuates seasonally in the summer and fall/winter months when fairs and festivals are at their peak. Overall, my goal is to maintain a work/life balance. With that said, I do clock a lot more hours in the studio during peak show seasons. During that time, I spend about double the hours (30–40) each week making work, firing that one last kiln, and packing/getting work ready to sell at each event. I am in the process of recalibrating back to the ebb and flow of preparing for in-person events coupled with my role at CCAD.
Marketing
The majority of my work is sold at in-person shows by way of fairs and festivals. I love being able to directly connect with potential buyers and talk shop with other makers. There is so much innovation in the wild world of ceramics, and it’s always a treat to connect with other artists who are out there doing their thing. That type of energy is infectious, and I love every minute of it.
On average, I participate in about 20 in-person fairs or festivals a year, with June, November, and December being my most active months. I have been fortunate enough to cultivate a following throughout Ohio and the surrounding states. Additional traveling and festival adventures are in the five-year plan; I am currently enjoying the steady intentional growth close to home.
My online sales are via my shop page on my website. Each year, the online sales get better and better. I really enjoy utilizing Instagram to promote my work and showcase my behind-the-scenes processes in the studio. I have really enjoyed the process of putting my work out into the world via social media. For me, Instagram is a great place to showcase what I am working on and to create a wider community of other clay enthusiasts. However, I do pay attention to the analytics and stats, monitoring what posts and products generate the most engagement and wielding that information to plan accordingly. Utilizing this type of platform has expanded my overall audience significantly, and also has enabled me to cultivate a better understanding of the handmade market. On average, I spend about 5 hours a week planning content for my social-media platforms, equally focusing on promoting and selling work online.
I have participated in a handful of juried and invitational shows throughout the years. I currently do not have any gallery representation, but obtaining that is a goal of mine for 2022.
Mind
As a mostly full-time artist, I find I am at my peak creatively when all aspects of my life are in balance and harmonizing with each other. Taking a daily walk or two is super important to me, as well as maintaining a daily yoga practice. Other ways that I recharge my creative batteries include dancing, going on outdoor adventures, and working in my garden. These activities allow me to spend time making, thinking, or dreaming outside of the realm of ceramics. Thus, I am able to show up fully in my studio practice.
My work is inspired by my interest in the small snippets of beauty found in everyday life. I find that handmade pottery of a joyous nature elegantly reflects daily rituals. My handmade pottery is inspired by vintage fabric, mid-century dishes, and the playfulness of street art. The surfaces are reminiscent of geometric and organic patterns in nature. By incorporating bouncing lines, low relief, and vibrant hues, and contrasting those elements with volumetric forms, I create evocative, distinctive, and visually upbeat vessels. This innovative approach to a traditional process and materials mirrors the current, cultural narrative that surrounds the joys of cultivating personal rituals of love and self care in day-to-day life. The collection of work that I am currently making seeks to romanticize the simple, yet impactful, visual modalities associated with remaining in the present moment.
Most Valuable Lesson
The most valuable lesson I have learned as a working artist is that the path is never linear and straightforward. The true enjoyment of being a creative human comes from beautiful experiences, failures, and friendships cultivated along the way that fill in odd cracks and spaces. There is magic in the process of building the mosaic that is my life, and I am always grateful.
www.megslevesseur.com
Instagram: @megslevesseurceramics
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